weather conditions closed Wittman airport
to VFR traffic for virtually all of Saturday
(July 21) and the next morning. However,
watching the Sunday afternoon arrivals was
every bit as entertaining as the planned air
show during the week. All credit to the air
traffic controllers and operations personnel
who managed the comings and goings so
well at the world’s busiest airport (for one
week)! The schedule suffered another glitch
when one of the two night airshows had to
be postponed for 24 hours due to heavy rain.
The organiser had designated this the
‘Year of the Tanker’, while another theme
celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Air
Force Reserve. The latter’s contribution
included a KC-10 and KC-135 tankers each of
which simulated refuelling a F-35A Lightning
II. Other USAF aircraft also featured in the
static park including a B-1B Lancer, C-5B
Galaxy and B-52H Stratofortress.
The RAF’s 100th anniversary was
honoured by aircraft featuring in both the
ying and static displays. There were types
from both world wars, including a restored
Sopwith Snipe, Sopwith Camel replica and
multiple Supermarine Spit res. Two early jets
were present, a Gloster Meteor that served
with the RAF plus a de Havilland Vampire.
AirVenture also paid tribute to the 80th
anniversary of the rst ight of the North
American T-6 Texan World War Two era
trainer which took place on September
18, 1938. The North American Trainer
Association marked this with a yover of 28
examples in an ‘80’ formation. Meanwhile,
the US-based Redstar Pilots Association,
whose members y aircraft from current and
former communist countries, celebrated the
60th birthday of the Nanchang CJ-6, one of
the mainstays of the group and a popular
entry-level warbird.
NEW TYPES
Among the aircraft highlights was the debut
of the DRACO. Mike Patey modi ed a PZL
Wilga and undertook the project because:
“I live in Utah and needed an aircraft that
would give me the ability to take my family
to some of the high-altitude landing strips
in the back country. There was not a four-
seat STOL airplane capable of doing what
I wanted, so I decided to build one.” Patey
had previously owned a Wilga that offered
http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 57
Right: Four L-39s in ngertip formation (front
to back: N139LS, NX11XN, N139VS and
NX139PM) prepare to ypast the crowd at
Oshkosh. All photos Jay Selman unless stated
Below right: Dynamic Aviation of Bridgewater,
Virginia, sent its immaculate DC-3, N47E/0-
30655, which wears a USAF livery to the show.
Above right: Boeing B-29 Superfortress,
N69972/469972, Doc attended AirVenture for
the second year running.
Right: Mike Patey’s DRACO, N123T, is a
modi ed PZL Wilga – he ew it to victory in
the heavy category of the STOL competition.
Vince Horan